Shopping with my daughter at St. Vital Centre - Sunday, February, 27, 2005
Ever
since I told my daughter my "little secret" we've had a lot of fun together,
with me as her "Aunt Sabrina". Going to the movies, socials and shopping
is so much more fun than when I go as her "Dad".
On Sunday, February 27, 2005, we had a shopping trip planned as my daughter is searching for that "perfect pair of boots". And me of course, can't resist a shopping trip en fem!
Since my girlfriend of now 9 years, isn't accepting of my girl side at all and we really haven't talked about it since January 2002, things get pretty stressful when it comes to planning an outing, even when she knows I'll be out spending the day with my daughter, which I do most Sundays anyway. Just so I don't have to "explain" what it is I'm taking out of the house, I have to be sneaky and sort out my girl stuff either after she goes to bed or before she wakes up, which means I usually miss out on a lot of sleep a few nights before I plan to go out as Sabrina.
And this outing was no different, yet I managed to get things ready in time. Getting out of the house early on Sunday was another story. Since I was going to leave earlier than usual I also didn't want to make it seem like I was rushing to leave either. Once on the way I called my daughter who was more than happy to wait the extra time just so she could go shopping with her "Aunt Sabrina".
I usually don't like to rush the "getting pretty" part but this time I did and it seemed like it was one thing going wrong after another and by the time I was ready it was almost 1:00 PM! I chose to wear my black leather mini skirt, black hose, a red t-shirt and high heeled boots with a leather jacket! The perfect shopping outfit! (My opinion).
Since I can't get changed at home I change in my van which is something I'm kinda used to after all these years and wouldn't you know it...just as I was ready, I snagged my pantyhose!! GOD what next?? I thought! Using clear nail polish I stopped the run giving me time to stop at Safeway to buy another pair. After all, a girl can't go shopping with a run in her hose now can she!!
So my first stop before picking up my daughter was to Safeway to buy a new pair of pantyhose! Being Sunday afternoon the store was really busy and after picking up my new pair of hose I walked to and stood in line a the checkouts. Passing a busy line I saw a young girl with her dad standing in line and she kinda gives me the heels to head look and she turns to her dad and says "GOD Is she ever tall!" I just love hearing that! And she is right! At 6 ft without heels, add a 3 inch heel and I'm definitely a tall girl.
Now that I was finally ready I called my daughter to say I was a few blocks away and she asked if we could give her mother and stepfather a ride to Tim Hortons restaurant! To which I said of course! My daughter chose to wear a green plaid mini skirt, white tights, white blouse, black sandals and long black coat. She got in the front seat and her mother and step father got into the back and off we went to Tim Hortons! Not the kind of scene I would have ever imagined happening just 5 short years ago, yet it is amazing just how many people we find that accept us as we are, no mater how we are dressed. The very same people we worry about finding out about our "little secret".
After letting them out at Tim Hortons we headed off for the St. Vital Centre, with me stopping first at the Royal Bank so I could withdraw some cash and of course get more "Sidewalk time" in my mini skirt! After so many years of worrying what people think, and now getting out in public, broad daylight, for the last four years now ,it still amazes me just how many places I go where people don' t even give me a second look! Which just goes to show that people are so wrapped up in what they are doing for themselves to be concerned with what we as crossdressers are doing for ourselves.
Once
we got to the St. Vital Centre we found parking near the Sears doors and
made our way to the mall. As we walked through Sears, with my daughter
and I in our mini skirts, I asked her if she wanted to check the shoe department
in Sears for boots and her comment was "No, they sell old people shoes"!
So off we went walking through the mall to Transit where she had spotted
a pair of boots she liked a while back when she was out shopping with "Dad".
There were two pair she liked, one in plain black and the other had a stitched
pattern and both with a wedge heel which is the style she wanted. She tried
on the plain black pair first and checked them out in the mirror, then
the stitched pattern pair. I'm glad she picked the plain black pair, since
they would go with more outfits, which she agreed with. Not jumping to
make the purchase just yet, she asked the clerk to hold them for a while
and off we went walking through the mall checking other shoes stores. My
daughter didn't find anything else she liked enough to try on so we just
did what girls do best...."Shopped"!
We checked out the Disney Store, which is one of my daughter's favorite stores, even though she is now 19! That was really cool. Walking through the store, talking with the clerks, with all the other "Moms and Dads" in the store with their children!
When I was just starting to venture out into the real world I remember a comment Dana, Masquerade's member from Fargo, made to me when we were talking about how we perceive the world will view us. Dana commented..."We tend to be our own worst enemies". And in the past few years I have found her comment to be so true. Perhaps when we first think of where a crossdresser would be accepted, our first through is to venture out under the cover of darkness, when no one could get a really good look at us, to the the dark and dreary "TG Friendly" places one would "Expect" a crossdresser to be found. Well, I must say, shopping with my daughter in broad daylight on a Sunday afternoon, in the mall and in the Disney Store with all the other families, is definitely not where people would expect a crossdresser to be found. Which brings me to a comment JamieSue from Atlanta told me during one of our late evening chats."People don't know to look for girls like us". And because everyone we spoke with or passed made it a pleasant experience, even if they did "read" me, they showed just how accecpting people realy are!
After leaving the Disney Store we walked across the mall to Suzie Shier. My daughter had gift certificate for the store and she found a few tops in her size and I found a really pretty necklace. So after my daughter tried on the tops we paid for our purchases and off we went walking through the mall in our mini skirts! We went back to Transit where I purchased the boots for my daughter. On the way back to my van I asked my daughter where she wanted to go next and she thought a trip up to the Half Moon restaurant in Lockport would be a lot of fun. I agreed and on the way we stopped at her place to pick up some DVD's she had to return to the Blockbuster where she works.
When we got to Blockbuster my daughter introduced me to her co-workers as her "Aunt Sabrina" and I was greeted with smiles and the "nice to meet you comments" that go with an introduction! I had been to Tim Hortons restaurant when she worked there, so this was her second workplace I've visited. Since the staff know me as "Him", I'm curious to hear if they have any comments when my daughter goes back to work. Life is so much more fun now, now that I've finally realized that you simply can get all dolled up and go just about anywhere and be accepted.
We didn't stay long at the Blockbuster and made our way up Henderson Highway to the Half Moon restaurant in Lockport. Lockport is usually pretty busy on the weekends, with people out for a nice drive along the Red River and the Half Moon is a favorite place to stop for ice cream or burgers. This Sunday was no different. When we got to the Half Moon the parking lot was almost full and so was the restaurant. They didn't have the ice cream my daughter wanted so she settled for and order of french fries and gravy and I had a Diet-Dr. Pepper! Of course we sat inside, along with all the other patrons, and enjoyed chatting away, like a couple of girls out for the afternoon. After all....that's what we were!! And I have to say, that after so many years of worrying about what people would think, I can honestly say it felt perfectly natural, to be sitting there in my mini skirt and heels. And with my daughter of all people.
On the way home I again thanked my daughter for being patient and understanding enough to wait the extra few hours it to for me to get ready and pick her up for our shopping trip. She is truly a wonderful person and she certainly made my day! Now it was time to take her back home so she could spend the evening with her mom.
Since there was no one to take our picture in the mall, here is one I made thanks to digital photography!
Thanks for reading my story,
Sabrina
E-mail me at sabrina_markes@masquerade.ca
Member of the Winnipeg support group - "Masquerade"